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The Now Show
''The Now Show'' is a British radio comedy programme on BBC Radio 4 which satirises the weekly news. The show, which ran from 1998 to 2024, is a mixture of stand-up, sketches and songs hosted by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. It features regular appearances by Jon Holmes, Laura Shavin (earlier series had Emma Kennedy, or occasionally Sue Perkins, for the female voices), a monologue by Marcus Brigstocke, and music by Mitch Benn, Pippa Evans or Adam Kay. Later series feature a wider range of contributors. Most episodes feature a special guest, including Robin Ince, Rory Bremner, Dave Gorman, Simon Munnery, Al Murray, Andy Zaltzman, Paul Sinha, Richard Stilgoe, Dr Phil Hammond, Barry Cryer, John Finnemore, Andy Parsons, Shappi Khorsandi, Nathan Caton, Grace Petrie, Sarah Kendall and Francesca Martinez. Jon Culshaw featured on the 2004 and 2005 Christmas editions and also starred in the 2008 Christmas edition. Guests have also stood in for absent cast members. The serie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hugh Dennis
Peter Hugh Dennis (born 13 February 1962) is an English comedian, presenter, actor, Impressionist (entertainment), impressionist and writer. He was a panellist in every episode of the comedy show ''Mock the Week'' (2005–2022) and is one half of the double act Punt and Dennis alongside Steve Punt. Dennis has also played Dr Piers Crispin in the sitcom ''My Hero (British TV series), My Hero'' (2000–2006), Pete Brockman in the sitcom ''Outnumbered (British TV series), Outnumbered'' (2007–2014, 2016, 2024), Toby in the sitcom ''Not Going Out'' (2014–2023), and the Bank Manager in the first season of the comedy-drama series ''Fleabag'' (2016). He presents the community archaeology television show ''The Great British Dig'' (2020–present). Early life Peter Hugh Dennis was born in Kettering on 13 February 1962, the son of schoolteacher Dorothy Mary (née Hinnels) and Anglicanism, Anglican priest John Dennis (bishop), John Dennis. His older brother, John Dennis (diplomat), John ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robin Ince
Robin Ince (born 20 February 1969) is an English comedian, actor and writer. He is known for presenting the BBC radio show '' The Infinite Monkey Cage'' with physicist Brian Cox, creating Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People, co-creating The Cosmic Shambles Network, and his stand-up comedy career. Education Ince attended York House prep school, near Croxley Green in Hertfordshire, and Cheltenham College, an independent boarding school for boys. He then studied at Royal Holloway, University of London, from which he graduated in English and Drama in 1991. Career Stand-up comedy In 1990, Ince first appeared at Greyfriars Kirkhouse at the Edinburgh Festival where Eddie Izzard was running a venue. At the time Ince was performing in a play called 'Shadow Walker' by Trevor Maynard. He had appeared at the Cafe Royal as part of the Edinburgh Fringe show 'Rubbernecker' alongside Stephen Merchant, Jimmy Carr and Ricky Gervais in 2001. As a friend of Ricky Gervais, Ince opened ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nathan Caton
Nathan Junior Caton (born 2 November 1984) is an English comedian. Early life Caton was born in Hammersmith, London and raised in the West London town of Greenford. He has a younger brother who is accredited to some of Caton's early jokes. He went to Dormers Wells High School and subsequently Richmond upon Thames College which is where he became interested in comedy upon taking A Level Drama and continued the interest whilst an architecture student at Anglia Ruskin University. In 2005 he won the Chortle Student Comedian of the Year award. He was the first in his family to graduate from university but chose to pursue comedy full-time, much to his parents' initial disappointment. Caton is a Brentford fan. Career Caton appeared on ITV's ''Comedy Cuts'' in 2007 after appearing at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2012, he did a tour called "Get Rich or Die Cryin'". He has also written for the children's series ''Rastamouse''. Also in 2012, he wrote and appeared in the Radio Four series ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shappi Khorsandi
Shaparak Khorsandi (, ; born 8 June 1973), who previously performed as Shappi Khorsandi, is an Iranian-born British comedian and author. She is the daughter of the Iranian political satirist and poet Hadi Khorsandi. Her family left Iran for the United Kingdom following the 1979 revolution, and she frequently references her Iranian heritage and reactions to it in her stand-up comedy performances. Khorsandi rose to national prominence after her 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show ''Asylum Speaker'' and her appearance at the '' Secret Policeman's Ball'' two years later. She has featured on numerous British television and radio programmes, including the BBC Radio 4 programme ''Shappi Talk'' (2009 and 2010), and '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' in 2017. Khorsandi has authored several books. Her memoir ''A Beginner's Guide to Acting English'' was published in 2009. Her first novel, ''Nina is Not OK'', was published in 2016, and her young adult fiction novel ''Kissing E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andy Parsons
Andrew John Parsons (born 30 November 1966) is an English comedian and writer. He regularly appeared on '' Mock the Week'' from Series 3 to Series 14. With comedy partner Henry Naylor, he wrote and presented nine series of '' Parsons and Naylor's Pull-Out Sections'' for BBC Radio 2. Early life Parsons was born in Poole, Dorset; his father was a headmaster. He attended Parc Eglos Primary School, Helston Comprehensive School in Cornwall and Churston Ferrers Grammar School, Torbay (Devon) before going to Christ's College, Cambridge to study Law, where he met and formed a double act with Henry Naylor which twice toured with the National Student Theatre Company and once with the Footlights. After completing his studies, Parsons got a job working as a legal clerk on a case at the Greenock shipyards, which he describes as "the most tedious thing I'd ever done." With Naylor he established TBA, London's first sketch comedy club. Writing/television His first TV writing job was for '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Finnemore (writer)
John David Finnemore (born 28 September 1977) is a British comedy writer and actor. He wrote and performed in the radio series ''Cabin Pressure (radio series), Cabin Pressure'', ''John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme'', and ''John Finnemore's Double Acts'', and frequently features in other BBC Radio 4 comedy shows such as ''The Now Show''. Finnemore has won more British Comedy Guide, Comedy.co.uk awards than any other writer, and two of his shows appear in the top ten of the ''Radio Times'' list of greatest ever radio comedies. He also is the writer of season 2 of ''Good Omens (TV series), Good Omens''. Early life and education John Finnemore was born in Reading, Berkshire, Reading to parents David and Patricia and has a younger sister, Anna. He attended Dolphin School (Berkshire), Dolphin School in Berkshire, High Lea in Dorset and Poole Grammar School. At 19, he moved to Kraków in Poland, where he spent 6 months teaching English language, English. He then studied English a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Ronnie Corbett, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie Howerd, Richard Pryor, Spike Milligan, Mike Yarwood, ''The Two Ronnies'' and Morecambe and Wise. Early life Barry Charles Cryer was born on 23 March 1935 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to John Cryer, an accountant, who died when Barry was five, and his wife, Jean. After an education at Leeds Grammar School, he began studying English literature at the University of Leeds. He later described himself as a university dropout: "I was supposed to be studying English Literature at Leeds, but I was in the bar and chasing girls and my first-year results showed it. So I'm 'BA E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phil Hammond (comedian)
Philip James Hammond (born 1 January 1962) is a British physician, broadcaster, comedian and commentator on health issues in the United Kingdom. He is best known for his humorous commentary on the National Health Service. He first came into the public spotlight writing a column for ''The Independent'' newspaper, where he wrote with a strong pro- patient rights line and as '' Private Eye''s medical correspondent "MD". Early life and education Hammond lived in Australia until the age of seven when his Australian father, Barrie Rees Hammond, Ph.D., a Cambridge-educated physical chemist, killed himself at the age of 38. His English mother moved the family back to England. Hammond was educated at Marlborough Royal Free Grammar School until its closure in 1975, then at its successor St John's Comprehensive, before obtaining a place at Marlborough College as his father had taught there. Hammond qualified as a doctor in 1987, having studied at Girton College, Cambridge and St Tho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Stilgoe
Sir Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe (born 28 March 1943) is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician, and broadcaster who is best known for his humorous songs and frequent television appearances. His output includes collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Peter Skellern. He is also a keen puzzler who has hosted several quiz shows and written several books on the subject. Stilgoe is also notable for his charity work and fundraising. In the 1980s, he founded the Alchemy Foundation which is funded from his royalties from the American productions of ''Starlight Express'' and ''The Phantom of the Opera''. He is patron of the Surrey Care Trust in Woking. In the late 1990s he founded the Orpheus Centre which offers performing arts experiences to young people with disabilities. In 2012, Stilgoe was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his extensive charity work. Early life Stilgoe was born in Camberley, Surrey, on 28 March 1943. He was brought up in Liverpool, where, as le ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Sinha
Supriya Kumar "Paul" Sinha (born 28 May 1970) is a British professional quizzer and comedian. He has written and performed extensively on BBC Radio 4, and is one of the six Chasers on the ITV game show '' The Chase''. Early life Supriya Kumar Sinha was born on 28 May 1970 to Bengali Hindu parents. His father and paternal grandfather were doctors; his mother was a nurse. He attributes the name Paul to a "misunderstanding with nursing staff" in the newsletter announcing his birth, and says that this name "stuck". Sinha was educated at Dulwich College and St George's Hospital Medical School. Sinha is a former general practitioner, qualifying in the 1990s. While at medical school he developed a taste for the stage in St George's annual revue and refined his comedy as co-editor of the medical school newsletter, popularly known as the ''Slag Mag''. Career Stand-up comedy Sinha began performing stand-up while working as a junior doctor in hospitals in London and King's Lynn. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andy Zaltzman
Andrew Zaltzman (born 6 October 1974) is a British comedian and statistician. His comedy largely deals in political and sport-related material. He has worked with John Oliver, with their work together including '' Political Animal'', ''The Department'' and '' The Bugle''. Since 2016 he has been a statistician for BBC Radio's '' Test Match Special'' cricket commentaries, and since 2020 the presenter of Radio 4's '' The News Quiz''. On television, in 2024, he won the eighteenth series of '' Taskmaster'' against Babatunde Aléshé, Emma Sidi, Jack Dee, and Rosie Jones. Early life Born in Hammersmith, west London, Zaltzman is of Lithuanian-Jewish ancestry. He is the son of South African sculptor Zack Zaltzman and is the older brother of Helen Zaltzman, of ''The Allusionist'' and '' Answer Me This!'' podcasts. From his prep school, Holmewood House School in Langton Green, Kent, he then attended the private Tonbridge School. He studied Classics at University College, Oxfo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Murray
Alastair James Hay Murray (born 10 May 1968) is an English comedian. After graduating from the University of Oxford, Murray's comedy career began by working with Harry Hill for BBC Radio 4. He regularly performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, before launching his "Pub Landlord" persona. This led to the Sky One sitcom '' Time Gentlemen Please'' and the chat show '' Al Murray's Happy Hour'' for ITV. In 2003, Murray was listed in ''The Observer'' as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy, and in 2007 he was voted the 16th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's ''100 Greatest Stand-Ups.'' He continues to perform as a stand-up and is a regular on British TV and radio. Early life and family background Murray was born in Stewkley, Buckinghamshire. His father was a lieutenant colonel in 131 (Parachute) Regiment, Royal Engineers and worked for British Rail. A descendant of the novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, Murray's grandfather was the former British ambassador ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
